The First Spring
by Elle Mariet
Summary: AU/AH: A sequel to The Last Summer. When new discoveries are made in the small town of Forks that threaten to reveal the secrets Bella Swan and Jacob Black have kept buried, they must embark down a dangerous path yet again and stop Detective Edward Cullen from finding out the truth, no matter the cost.
1. Preface

_A/N:_ This is the sequel to _The Last Summer_. I highly suggest reading it before this, if you haven't already.

 _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Twilight. Aside from the original characters and locations, this work is purely my own fiction.

 _Warnings:_ This story contains dark situations, violence, and mature (adult) scenes, along with strong language. Read with caution.

Also, special thanks once again to my dear friend Alys Hart for editing my work and letting me brainstorm ideas with her literally in the middle of the night.

* * *

 _ **The First Spring**_

* * *

 _"Things without all remedy should be without regard: what's done is done."_  
 _Macbeth, Act III, scene 2_

* * *

 **Preface**

 _"I don't think that's deep enough." A concerned female voice called from above._

 _"It has to be."_ _A determined male voice replied from below. "_ _If we don't wrap this up soon someone will come looking for us."_

 _"Did you really just say wrap this up?"_

 _A pause. "Yeah, I did. Sorry."_

 _Heaps of earth were thrown onto the wet grass above from the bottom of the six foot hole. The only illumination came from the headlights of a nearby truck and that of the full moon, shining on the hundreds of tiny flowers that littered the meadow._

 _Hands suddenly appeared, followed by a large man pulling himself out of the deep hole._ _He adjusted the leather work gloves against his jeans and then turned to look at the small woman who was knelt down next to him. She looked paler than normal, staring at the dark shape that lay in front of her._

 _"Ready?" He asked quietly._

 _She nodded her head and stood up. "Lets get this over with."_

 _The two people bent down and lifted up the dark shape - each with a groan - the sound of plastic crinkling echoed throughout the meadow._

 _"Jesus, how much does this prick weigh?"_

 _They shuffled sideways until they were standing parallel to the hole. With two long and slow swings, they tossed the heavy bundle. It landed at the bottom with a dull thud._

 _The man and woman both let out a sigh of exhaustion as they gazed down at their handiwork. The sound of the wind whipping through the grass and the rustling plastic was eerie and uncomfortable. The man shivered despite the heat while his companion looked around, suddenly nervous._

 _"You don't think anyone would come out here, do you?"_

 _"Nah. We went in pretty far."_

 _She nodded in agreement and watched him as he picked up the shovel and heaved it into the mound of dirt, sweat trickling down his forehead. Just as he was about to start filling in the hole she caught his eye._

 _He paused, shovel in the air. "Did you want to say a few words?" He was both sarcastic and curious._

 _She looked down into the dark pit and resisted the urge to spit. "Rot in Hell." She said._


	2. Unthaw

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **1\. Unthaw**

Bella Swan twirled her spaghetti noodles around her fork absentmindedly, only half paying attention to Sam and Leah Uley's discussion about the latest council meetings in La Push.

She had met them at the only diner in Forks for a late dinner like they planned every Thursday, Leah desperately needing the steady adult conversation as a break from being a full time mom, and Bella needing the company after most nights spent alone.

It had been seven long months since Jacob Black left for his apprenticeship in Seattle at Hale Inc., Vintage & Classic Restorer. Bella had gone up last Thanksgiving for three days and Jacob was able to come home for a week for Christmas. Although they had originally promised to keep things on a friendship level, some things just couldn't be helped and they had broken their rule during both visits.

While the mixture of lust and love outweighed the guilt while she was with him, when he left after New Years Day she had felt the realization of loneliness sink in and silently promised to spend less time thinking about Jacob and devote herself completely to her work as a distraction.

She had been offered a dispatch and secretarial position at Forks Police Department by Waylon Forge, the newly appointed chief that took over after her father passed away unexpectedly last year. Bella had been both surprised and overwhelmed at his offer and initially tried to decline while the older man stood on her doorstep, but he had assured her she was more than capable, and after a few minutes of deliberation and hesitance she finally agreed.

It had been a fairly easy job; answering phone calls and dispatching codes to officers on patrol, speaking to concerned community members when they came in to the station and keeping files and evidence organized properly. She had taken the job very seriously and felt a small tinge of hope that her father would be proud of her.

The last few months she had been picking up extra hours so she'd be spending less time at home and more time at the station. While doing so, she had seen a lot more of Detective Edward Cullen, who had taken her to lunch enough times to know her order and started personally delivering it to her desk. Jacob had not been happy about that, but he kept his jealously quiet and masked it with sarcastic comments about Edward's hair and skin tone.

Bella smiled to herself as she thought about it. She had known Jacob for as long as she could remember and no matter how good he was at masking his expressions, he could never succeed with jealousy.

She looked around the restaurant - suddenly aware of her surroundings - and noticed almost every patron looking intensely at the small television that was mounted on the corner of the wall over the window. The news was on and a slender man with black hair was sitting behind a desk with a nervous expression. At the bottom of the screen a red banner was flashing, signifying something important was about to be released.

"Hey, Cora, turn that up will ya?" A diner regular called from his seat at the front counter.

The waitress fished through a small woven basket on the counter until she retrieved a remote and turned the volume up until everyone in the diner could hear the television.

"-as we go live now." The news anchor finished.

Bella glanced at Sam and Leah, who both had furrowed brows as they stopped talking and eating and stared at the television. She turned her attention back just in time to see the screen change to a woman with glasses standing outside the police station. It was raining and she held an umbrella over her head, which she adjusted in her hand before she spoke.

"Thanks, Eric. This is Angela Weber from Chanel Six News, reporting live from Forks Police Department where we've received reports that a body has been found in the forest off Highway one-ten. We're standing by for a direct statement from Detective Edward Cullen."

Bella felt her spaghetti instantly come up her throat and pressed her hand over her mouth to hold it down. Her face paled and sweat trickled at the top of her forehead as the words Angela spoke jumbled together in slow motion.

"What the fuck." Leah breathed, not looking away from the television.

"Detective Cullen," Angela spoke into her microphone as the handsome detective came out of the station and sauntered up to her gracefully. "Can you confirm the reports of a body found tonight?"

Edward cleared his throat before he slightly leaned down to speak into the microphone. "Tonight at eight o'clock we found the remains of a body in a cleared area in the forest off Highway one-ten. The body was taken to the hospital for an autopsy and we have yet to confirm the identity. The area has been completely blocked off by police personal and we ask citizens to stay clear of the forest pending investigation."

"Can you tell us if it was a murder or a suicide?" Angela pressed, holding the microphone up for him.

Edward licked his lips before speaking again, his voice somewhat strained. "I have no more details to release at this time."

"Shit..." Sam said, turning back around to look at Leah and Bella. "I'm going to have to call an emergency council meeting."

"Why?" Leah asked as he pulled a cell phone from his pocket.

"We have to make sure everyone in La Push is accounted for." He said. "We don't know of anybody who's missing right now, do we?"

Bella stood up suddenly. "I have to use the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Leah nodded and Bella was grateful she was too occupied by Sam's question to pay enough attention to Bella bee-lining for the washroom. She barely made it in the stall before she was on her knees emptying her stomach into the toilet.

When she finished, she went to the sink and turned on the faucet until the water was as cold as it could be, and splashed it over her face. She stared into the mirror at her reflection for a moment before turning around to lean against the counter. Pulling out her cell phone she dialed the familiar number and waited three rings before the line picked up.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob's gruff voice greeted her. He must have been sleeping.

She exhaled. "Jake, turn on the news."

"What?"

"Turn on the news! Now!"

She listened to the sounds of him groaning as he sat up in bed. "Forks news doesn't really get broadcasted in big cities like Seattle." He noted with a yawn.

"This story will. We haven't had anything like this happen in twenty years."

A few seconds went by and she heard the television turn up in the background and the voice of a local reporter from Seattle discussing the remains that had been found in the small town of Forks and the rumors that it was a murder.

"They found him, Jake." She breathed into the phone.

It was quiet for a moment before the sound of drawers being ripped open roughly echoed through the receiver.

"Jacob?" She asked, when she heard the faint sounds of a suitcase zipper closing.

"Bella, I'm on my way home." He said.


	3. Panic

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **2\. Panic**

It was in the early hours of morning, before the sun had completely come up, that Bella was sitting in her father's armchair, her fingers turning in a tireless and fidgeting routine. She wasn't sure how many hours she had been waiting, but when she heard the familiar sound of an engine pulling into her driveway she immediately straightened up and inhaled deeply, her heart beating so fast she thought it might burst from her chest.

A few seconds went by until heavy footsteps pounded up the steps of the front porch and the door burst open.

It was still dark in the house; a blue hue flowed in through the window and cast a shadow on both of them. His face was hard and stressed, but when their eyes met, it softened.

"Bells." He said as he crossed the room in two strides.

She stood up and collided into his arms, holding back a sob as he held her tightly. They didn't speak for what seemed like forever until finally he let go and looked down at her, moving his arms up to hold her shoulders.

"We're going to figure this out." He said finally. "Alright? We're going to tell the cops-"

"What?" She flinched as if she had been struck. "We're not telling the cops anything, Jake!"

"Bella, we-"

"We _buried_ a body, Jacob! I killed James and then we buried him."

"We've been through this! It was self defense!" He argued back.

"It was self defense until we threw him in a hole!" She turned away from him and ran her fingers through her hair. "Listen, Jake, I don't-"

Bella was suddenly interrupted by a pair of headlights shining into the living room window. They both exchanged confused glances before Jacob moved towards the window slowly.

"What the-" He started to say, as he peered through the sheer curtains. "It's Detective Creepy."

"Oh, perfect. What do we do?"

Jacob thought for a moment. "Act normal."

When Edward politely knocked on the door Jacob opened it with a yank. "Hey." He said, sounding annoyed.

"Hello, Jacob. Nice to see you again. Is Isabella here?"

"She's still in bed." He said with a slight smirk.

Bella rolled her eyes with a scoff and came up next to Jacob, peering around his shoulder. "Hi, Edward."

He smiled at her. "Bella. May I come in?"

"Of course." She nudged Jacob until he stepped back and let Edward gracefully step inside. He nodded to both of them.

"I won't waste any time. I'm sure you have questions."

Bella nodded, not daring to let Edward see her look at Jacob. She had to remain completely neutral if she going to keep Edward from suspecting her.

"The official report wont be released until this afternoon, but I wanted to come by myself and personally tell you before the media does."

She nodded again, and furrowed her brows. This was the moment she had been practicing for since last night, and she had to react perfectly.

"Bella, the body we recovered from the meadow off Highway one-ten was James." Edward said, sadly. "We identified him through the dental records we had access to already while we were searching for him."

Bella sat down slowly and braced both her hands at her sides. She stared at her feet.

Jacob raised an eyebrow towards Edward. "How did you identify him so quickly?"

"My mother, Dr. Esme Cullen, is the town's coroner and mortician. When Chief Forge insisted we have an identification by tomorrow so the town wouldn't be sent into a panic, she worked tirelessly through the night. It was..." He paused, searching for the right words. "The body was, of substantial decay."

Jacob nodded and looked over at Bella, who was still staring at her feet. "Bella?"

"Bella, I am so very sorry for your loss. I know this must come as a shock."

She lifted her head to look at Edward, the tears welling in her eyes. "He's been dead all this time?"

"I am afraid so."

"Oh, God." She turned away and wiped her eyes. "He hurt me but I- I never wanted this."

"Of course not." Edward said, watching Jacob put a comforting hand on her shoulder, gently massaging it with his thumb.

"So what happens now?" Jacob asked Edward.

"Bella, Chief Forge wants you to take a few days of work. A week, perhaps."

"No, I can't-" She started but he politely put a hand up.

"I'm afraid it's not a request. We will call you when we have more information, but for now it's being treated as suspicious." He stood up and smoothed his pants. "Bodies don't bury themselves."

* * *

After Edward left, Bella agreed to spend the night at Jacob's. He waited downstairs while she packed a bag and they fled to La Push as quick as they could. Jacob's loft above his garage was a sort of safe space for them, in a way that her house hadn't been. While they both didn't want to admit it, too many terrible things had happened in Charlie Swan's home and it had become tainted by horrible memories.

When they pulled into the parking lot, Jacob's hands tightened on the steering wheel. Bella followed his gaze to the enormous tow truck that was parked on the side of the three story building. "Embry." He growled as he opened the drivers side door.

When they walked inside they were greeted by loud music that blared from surround sound speakers mounted on the corners of the walls. Jacob looked around, his eyes wide with disbelief, until he looked through the glass window and into the office to see Embry, sitting in the office with his feet propped up on the desk. He was leaned back in the chair, loudly talking on the phone.

Bella resisted a chuckle as she followed Jacob into the office. When Embry noticed him standing in the doorway - arms crossed and eyes like daggers - he jumped up, knocking papers off the desk and scattering them all over the floor. He said something quickly into the phone and hung up.

"Jake! Buddy! You're home!" He squealed like a helpless piglet.

"What did the hell did you do to my garage?" Jacob yelled over the music.

"Oh, you mean the upgrades?" Embry yelled back, his voice an octave higher than normal.

"Upgrades? Who told you to upgrade anything? And where did the tow truck come from?"

"Hey! Can we turn the music down?" Bella yelled, covering her ears with her hands.

Embry shrugged and reached over to a stereo sitting on a file cabinet and switched it off. The music cut short and everything fell silent. "Sorry 'bout that." He said sheepishly.

"Where is everybody?" Jacob demanded.

"It's Friday." Embry stated.

"So?"

"We don't work on Friday's."

" _Since when_?"

"Since... you left..." Embry said slowly, wincing.

"Bells," Jacob started, turning to look at her. "Why don't you go upstairs and unpack your things while Embry and I have a talk?"

Embry blinked and looked at Bella for help, but she simply smiled and rubbed Jacob's back. "Sure. Go easy on him, though. He did manage to keep the business running."

"Mmhm." Jacob kept his eyes on Embry.

As she climbed the stairs to the apartment above, the sound of Jacob yelling grew quieter. She sighed as she shut the door and went into his bedroom to unpack her duffle-bag. Hours later, when he finally emerged from the garage, she was already tucked into his bed under the covers. They had mutually agreed to have a long and overdue nap after realizing neither one had slept the night before. She watched him quietly pull his shirt over his head as he yawned.

"How'd it go?"

"I could have tore his throat out with my teeth." He grumbled. "We're, uh, keeping the tow truck, though."

She smirked. "You look exhausted, Jake."

"I am." He said as he tossed his shirt across the room and collapsed onto the bed next to her. Bella rolled over until she was on her side, facing Jacob. She looked at him until he turned his head to meet her eyes, giving her a half smile. "You okay?"

"No." She smiled sadly. "Are you?"

"No." He said, touching her face with his thumb. "But we will be."

"How can you stay so positive?"

"Because I have you." Jacob replied, his voice suddenly thick with lust.

Blushing, Bella dropped her eyes and smiled. When she didn't answer he rolled over until he mimicked her position, and they were inches away from each other.

"Do I, have you?" He asked, sounding both hopeful and bashful.

"Titles and obligations." She poked his nose with the tip of her finger. "Remember?"

"Oh, right." He pursed his lips. "Can't that wait?"

"No way, you said so yourself last time."

"Sure, sure. Alright. If we're going to use titles obligations than that means you have to tell Officer Hopeful that we're together now, _officially_ together." He smirked at her.

"I'm sure he caught that when you told him I was still in bed earlier." She raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

Jacob smiled. "I couldn't help myself. I had to mark my territory."

"You're not a dog, Jake." She giggled as he reached down to tickle her middle.

He nestled himself on top of her and nuzzled her nose, making her laugh even harder. "Titles and obligations?" He asked.

"Titles and obligations." She answered, nuzzling him back.

* * *

The next morning, Bella woke before Jacob. She crept into the kitchen to fix them breakfast while the sounds of him snoring drifted from the bedroom and into the small hallway.

While the pancakes sizzled on the frying pan she jogged downstairs and outside to the mailbox. It was still fairly early and nobody had shown up to open the garage yet, so she grabbed the bundle of flyers, letters, and newspaper and took it all back upstairs.

After flipping the pancakes and pulling a package of bacon from the fridge, Bella sat down on the bar stool and reached for the newspaper. She took a sip of tea from the chipped mug and opened to the second page, only noticing the envelope inside when it slipped out and landed on the floor. Standing up, she reached down and picked it up, then drew her eyebrows together in question at the letter that was addressed to both Jacob and her.

Frowning, she took it upon herself to tear open the envelope and unfold the small white note inside. When she read the only sentence scrawled on the page the mug fell from her hand, the porcelain loudly shattering into pieces.

In red ink, the words " _I know what you did._ " were written in cursive writing.


	4. Concerns

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **3\. Concerns**

"Bells, are you alright in there?" Jacob called from outside the bathroom door.

"Yeah." Bella managed to croak before retching into the toilet bowl once more.

When she emerged from the bathroom some time later she found him sweeping the remaining pieces of the mug into an old dustpan. She sat down in a slump at the small kitchen table and put her head in her hand. She felt ill, staring at the note on the counter next to their breakfast that had gone cold. The words ringing in her ears on an endless loop, _I know what you did I know what you did I know what you did I know what you did._

Jacob knocked the shards into the garbage bin, bringing Bella back to reality. She watched him tuck the broom away and join her at the table.

"I'm installing cameras." He said after a few minutes of silence.

When she didn't answer he looked at her and frowned. "Bella, I think you should stay here for a while."

"What?"

"Whatever asshole sent that note knows you were here, so they obviously know where you live. You'd be safer here, where I can protect you."

"You think I'm in danger?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"I don't know, Bells. But I don't want to find out the hard way. Again."

"Again?" She demanded, suddenly angry. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I don't want you to put yourself in harms way again!" He yelled, his frustrations seeping through his usual cool demeanor.

"So I'm supposed to just move all my things in here and hide in your apartment until Forks PD catches a murderer that doesn't exist because it was me?"

Jacob took a breath in, and rubbed his forehead. "Whoever it was that sent that note, I'm taking it as a threat. So we need to prepare ourselves."

She was quiet for a moment, hugging her knees and staring down at the floor. Finally, she asked the question they both had been wondering but were too afraid to ask. "Jake... Did anybody see us that night?"

"I don't think so."

"If they did, and they're threatening to expose us, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Bells."

"Well, do you know anything?" She snapped, suddenly looking away.

Before he could answer her, Bella's cell phone rang. With a sigh, Jacob stood up and retrieved her phone from the sofa in the living room, then waited patiently while she spoke to somebody on the other end for a few moments before hanging up.

"That was the station." She said. "They want me to come in right away. It must be about James."

Jacob ran a hand through his hair. "Then they figured it out already."

She nodded. "What do we do?"

"All we can do, for now. Play dumb. As long as they're not looking at us, we're fine."

"What about the gun?"

"What about it? We got rid of it. They'll never find it unless they like the taste of salt water."

"Alright." She said. "Will you come with me?"

He nodded, then looked over at the plate of untouched pancakes on the counter. "But can we eat first?"

* * *

When they arrived at the police station later that morning, Bella and Jacob were led into a small interview room. They sat down next to each other in front of a rectangular table, and waited for a few moments before a tall and burly man walked into the room - clad in his police uniform - and sat down in front of them. He had dark curly hair that was cropped short, and soft brown eyes.

He smiled at them both, despite the uncomfortable situation. "Hey, Bella. And _you_ must be Jacob Black." He reached over and offered his hand to Jacob.

"Cullen isn't here?" He asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he returned the handshake.

"Not the Cullen you're thinking of." He winked.

When Jacob raised an eyebrow Bella sat up in her seat to clarify for him. "Jake, this is Officer Emmett Cullen. He's also Edward's brother."

Jacob made a face. "Is everybody in this town a Cullen?"

Emmett boomed with laughter. "I like him."

"Where is Edward, anyway?" Bella asked, changing the subject.

Emmett's face suddenly grew serious. "Right. He's in the middle of an investigation right now, so he asked me to take the lead here."

"What sort of investigation?" Jacob asked, trying to keep his suspicion neutral.

They had both rehearsed in the car on the drive over, that they would keep their faces calm and neutral until the news was delivered and then they would react with shock and sadness. Bella had felt all her confidence wither away the moment Emmett grew serious.

"I can't say yet, but I called you here to tell you what I am allowed to say. Unfortunately, Bella, we have to treat you like the wife of the victim here, despite you working here and despite what we know Witherdick put you through."

Jacob smirked. " _I like him_." He mocked, causing Emmett to smirk back at him in return.

Bella frowned at them both and then sighed. "Go on, Emmett. Please."

He shuffled through some papers on the desk, then folded his hands on top of them. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to be real with you here. Alright?"

"Okay." Bella braced herself, her heart pounding in her chest. She resisted the urge to look at Jacob.

"The autopsy was concluded last night and was revealed that James Witherdale was as we originally suspected, murdered. He was shot five times in the chest and then buried in a grave off highway one-ten. We haven't located the pistol yet. I'm so sorry Bella. I know he abused you but he's still your husband, so whatever mixed feelings you have, it's alright to feel them."

He let his words sink in for a minute, and Bella noticed he was watching both of their faces carefully, probably to see what their reactions would be. She let her eyes will with tears - it wasn't hard given the stress she was under - and looked at Jacob who frowned deeply.

"Shit..." Jacob said at last, shaking his head sadly. "I hated the guy but that's an awful thing to happen."

"You're telling me. The press has been having a field day with this; they think there's a murderer on the loose. Been calling and trying to get an interview since yesterday." He chewed on the bottom of his lip. "Cheif's held them off so far but we're going to have to quote something official soon."

"Yeah, we saw the news report last night. Have you found the person responsible yet?"

"We have a few leads we're currently working on, and we'll update you when we have any solid evidence. But for now, I suggest you both take extra precautions and remain here in Forks where we're close by in case you need our protection."

"I'll protect Bella." Jacob said firmly, putting his hand on her knee. She instinctively leaned into him.

Emmett nodded. "Fair enough. I'm glad you were able to move on after everything, Bella."

"Thank you, Emmett." She answered with a small smile. "Was that everything you had to tell us?"

"Not quite. The report also states that James has been dead for about eight months, meaning he was murdered sometime in August."

"Oh, God."

"Yeah, I know. Now, we need to cover all our bases so I'm going to ask you two if anything happened in the month of August that might have any connection to James's death, besides the night he attacked you, Bella."

Bella thought for a moment before shaking her head slowly. "No, I never heard from him again, after that night."

"Jacob?" Emmett asked.

Jacob also shook his head. "We never really talked, but no, that was the last time I heard of anything to do with James."

"Alright then. You'll have to make an official statement and then you're free to go. I'm sure Edward will call you when he has anymore news."

"I'm sure he will." Jacob muttered under his breath.

* * *

When they climbed back into the Rabbit, Bella and Jacob both stared straight ahead. "I feel like I was holding my breath the entire time." Bella said, putting her hand against her chest.

Jacob wiped his brow and sighed. "I thought we'd have more time before they figured it all out. This isn't good."

"He said they have leads." Bella offered. "That means they're not on our trail."

"Not yet." Jacob answered as he turned the key in the ignition.

She looked at him and frowned. "Do you still want to confess?"

He took a minute to respond, focusing on the road ahead of them. "No." He said. "It's too late now."

"I'm sorry, Jake. Maybe we should have called the police the night James attacked us and I... killed him."

He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "Don't apologize, Bells. We'll figure this out somehow. We just need to pretend like you're a grieving widow and I'm a supportive boyfriend."

"And how do we do that?"

"We have a funeral." He said simply.


	5. Uncovered

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **4\. Uncovered**

"I am truly sorry for your loss, Miss Swan." Dr. Esme Cullen said in her soft, motherly tone.

"Thank you." Bella said with a slight nod. "So, how does this work?"

"Well, given the circumstances, I'm going to suggest cremation."

Bella laughed humorously. "Because he was already buried once?"

When Esme blinked at her, Bella shook her head quickly, not meeting her eyes. "I'm so sorry. This is just... really hard for me."

"Of course it is, dear. There's no need to apologize. I only suggest cremation because of the state of the decomposition. It would be... unwise, to bury by casket."

"Right." Bella nodded in agreement. "I'd also like to keep this as simple as possible; nothing over the top or sentimental. I honestly just want to get this over with."

When he brought it up three days ago, Bella had originally argued with Jacob for the entire drive back to the reservation that she wanted no part in giving James anything that resembled a funeral; and she would be damned if she was going to pay for it. While Jacob admired her for finding her long lost sense of female empowerment, he also reminded her that they need to keep themselves inconspicuous. So after much deliberation she agreed to have a _small_ funeral, on the condition of having no flowers and no words of kindness from a minister.

"Will there be anyone from James's family joining us?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"No, he told me he was an only child and both his parents died. I'm not aware of any distant relatives and I wouldn't even know how to contact them. So, no. Just myself and my family."

"Alright." She jotted notes down in a folder and closed it with a quick slap. "That takes care of everything. We'll be in touch, alright?"

"Sure. Thanks again."

When she stood up to leave, Dr. Cullen pursed her lips and gave her a questioning look. "Bella, if I may..."

Bella stopped and turned to look at her, keeping one hand on the doorknob of Dr. Cullen's office door. "Yes?"

"Regardless of what you went through, it's never easy burying a loved one."

Bella stiffened. "He's not a loved one, Dr. Cullen."

"Maybe not now, but he _was_ your husband once."

"And had he lived he would have been my ex-husband from jail." She felt her face getting hot with anger as she stood in the doorway looking down at the petite older woman. "I'm sure you're familiar with the story."

She nodded. "It's a small town, Bella."

"Right." Her hand shook against the doorknob, and when they both noticed she let go of it.

"I'm not trying to upset you, I just want you to really consider if these are the arrangements you want. Sometimes people have regrets later-"

"I don't regret anything except staying with him as long as I did. I'd really just like to move on now, if everyone would just let me."

Dr. Cullen put her hand up and frowned. "You're right, I'm sorry. You are well beyond your right to move on from all of this. I hope my son catches whoever did this to him so it can bring you some peace."

"I spent the last eight months wishing I had never met James," She snapped. "Whoever killed him did me favor."

* * *

Bella's hands didn't stop shaking until she pulled into the parking lot of the diner, ten minutes later. She sighed, still angry with what Esme Cullen had said to her. Nobody had ever intentionally made her feel guilty before. Guilty for leaving James, guilty for killing James, and guilty for moving on. Living with that guilt, for murdering her husband to protect her lover had grown easy after the first few months; knowing if she hadn't stopped James both her and Jacob would have surely been killed by his own hands. She had turned her pain into strength and reminded herself every time she felt damned that she did what was needed, and nobody would be missing him, especially her.

As she opened the truck door to climb out, a police cruiser suddenly pulled in beside her. Bella looked down and noticed slender hands pulling the keys out of the ignition and opening the drivers side door. Edward Cullen's tousled hair bounced slightly as he stood up and turned to look at her. He wasn't smiling; instead had a conflicted expression plastered on his face as he walked up to her briskly.

"Hello, Bella."

"Hi, Edward. What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way back to the station when I saw you pull in. Are you getting lunch?"

"Yeah, I'm just meeting Jake inside."

"Ah." He looked slightly disappointed. "Well, when you can, I'd like you to come into the station today."

Bella's heart dropped. "Is everything okay?"

"Well, not exactly. Though, I'd rather discuss it at the station."

"Alright..." She said slowly. "I'll meet you there in an hour?"

He nodded curtly at her, got back into his vehicle, and drove off without another word, leaving Bella standing alone in the parking lot. Her heart was racing with anxiety as she felt her knees buckle. She knew whatever it was he wanted to tell her wasn't anything good, but if it was as bad as she thought it could be Edward would have been arresting her. So despite her frustrations and worry, she walked into the diner and gave her companion waiting a genuine smile as she sat down across from him. "Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Bells. I ordered for you. What did Cullen want?"

"I don't even think I can eat anything." Bella said nervously. "He wants me to come by the station to talk. He looked uncomfortable."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Should we be leaving the state?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Alright," He said between mouthfuls of a double cheeseburger. "Well you let me know when we have to run. I've already packed us a bag."

"Somehow," Bella said flatly. "In the midst of this mess you've managed to keep your appetite and sense of humor."

"Inspiring, isn't it?"

* * *

When Edward came out to the lobby to meet Bella he nodded towards Jacob, who had been lounging in the chair against the wall. "He'd better come too." Edward said quietly as he motioned for them to follow. Bella and Jacob exchanged concerned glances but followed him anyway, down the long hall and into the conference room. They sat down next to each other and Edward took the seat across from them at the large round table.

"After James was murdered," Edward began carefully. "Something appeared on our radar that we had no knowledge of before."

When neither Bella nor Jacob responded Edward continued. "Bella, were you aware that James was leasing an apartment in Port Angeles?"

Bella's jaw dropped. "What? No?"

Edward nodded, the uncomfortable expression was back on his face again. "I didn't think so."

"For how long?" She asked.

He thinned his lips before responding. "Just over two years."

Jacob straightened up in his seat. "Was that the investigation your brother was referring to the other day?"

"Yes. When the payments stopped coming through, the lease was terminated and the back-rent went into collections."

Jacob looked at Bella, who just sat still in her chair, staring straight ahead. When she made no effort to respond he nervously cleared his throat. "So, what was inside the apartment?"

Edward glanced at Bella, a look of shame crossed his face. "Aside from everyday furniture and belongings, we found men and women's clothing."

" _Women's clothing?_ " Jacob asked, his jaw gaping open.

Bella looked up slowly from her feet. "He was living there with a woman, wasn't he?"

Edward met her eyes. "I'm sorry to say, but it appears so."

The chair squeaked against the floor as Bella suddenly stood up. "I'm done here." She stated, and turned and walked out of the conference room without another word.

Jacob stood to follow her, but Edward's voice stopped him. "Jacob?" He asked, looking down at his hands that were folded neatly on the table.

"Yeah?"

"I knew she would take this hard. No matter how much she claims to have moved on, the pain and damage he caused is still as real as it was the night I was called over."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jacob demanded, both curious and annoyed. Edward had never openly spoken to him before.

"Because you're going to be the one to comfort her."

"Is that why you asked me to come? To be her service dog?"

"To be whatever she needs you to be." Edward said simply, lifting his head up to look at Jacob in the eyes. "You'd better go after her."

Jacob resisted the urge to tell the detective where _he'd better go_ , and instead stalked out of the room with a sour look on his face. As he rounded the corner of the hallway and came through the double doors of the station, he saw Bella climbing into her truck, a folder tucked under her arm.

"Bella! Wait!" He yelled, as he ran up to the passenger side door. She reached over without looking at him and pulled the lock up so he could open the door. When he slid into the seat he turned to look at her. "Bells, talk to me, honey."

"Close the door." She said.

He obeyed, eyes still on her as the engine roared to life. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"To find that damn apartment."


	6. Stakeout

_A/N: _I just wanted to take a moment and send out a **huge** thank you to everybody who's been here since The Last Summer, and has taken the time to send me positive feedback in a PM or a review. You are all so lovely and kind and I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it is for me to read your thoughts and opinions each chapter. So, once again, thanks so much!

 _ **The First Spring**_

* * *

 **5\. Stakeout**

Three hours later, two police officers stood outside a run down four story building, casually talking about the epic failure of the last Mariners game in the early afternoon. Their laughter echoed down the street; passed a 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit that had wedged itself between a rusty Sedan and a large blue van. Had the two officers been paying attention, they would have noticed that the small red car parked across the street was not actually empty.

"I knew we should have brought doughnuts." Jacob grumbled from the drivers side. He had crouched down in an uncomfortable position with his seat reclined, scowling at the two men who were now loudly insulting each other for having different taste in baseball teams. "How long are they going to stand there?"

Bella remained silent as she watched, noticing an unmarked car that was parked in the visitors section of the small, beat up parking lot of the complex. She leaned forward, pretending not to notice that Jacob drew in a breath as her hair brushed against his chin.

"That's the Chief's car." She said. "Why is he here?"

"Whatever's inside that building must be interesting." Jacob answered. "Hey, look, someone's coming out."

Suddenly an older man pushed open the dirty glass doors and strode out with Emmett Cullen following behind, who was carrying a large yellow evidence bag. They briskly walked up to the two officers and began speaking quietly, Emmett pointing at the bag while the older man pulling out a cell phone.

"Is that the new Chief?" Jacob asked.

Bella nodded. "I need to hear what he's saying." She reached even further over Jacob - he pretended not to notice the shape her body took as she leaned - and slowly turned the crank, rolling the glass pane down. A lazy breeze of fresh air wafted into the car.

"Yeah, have forensics notified that Cullen's bringing the bag over." They heard Waylon say to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

Bella and Jacob exchanged a confused glance. "What's in the bag?" She whispered. When he shrugged they turned back to Waylon who had hung the phone up and tucked it back into the pocket of his jacket.

"Alright, let's head on back to the station." the Chief said. "We only have forty-eight more hours until the landlord gains his rights back to the unit."

The others muttered in agreement and all turned at once towards their parked cars, in the direction of the Rabbit. Jacob tensed and pushed Bella's head down roughly with his large hand - she sputtered in surprise - and he ducked his own head down as well. He looked at her blankly for a few seconds as she glared angrily at him, and then slowly turned around and raised his head, peeking out the half opened window. The four officers were climbing into their cars, completely unaware of any presence nearby. Jacob watched as they started their engines and pulled out of the parking lot, quickly disappearing down the road.

"Are they gone?"

"Yep." He let go of her head and straightened himself, still looking around.

"Alright, let's go." Bella said, turning to unlock the door.

"Wait, Bells." Jacob said, gently grabbing her arm to stop her. "Are you sure you want to go in? We don't even know what we're going to find."

"I need to know what's inside, Jake." She pleaded. "Please."

He chewed on his lip. "I don't like it. We could be walking into a murder scene."

"Then it's a good thing we didn't get doughnuts." She raised an eyebrow at him sarcastically. "And since when are you _against_ breaking the rules?"

"Since it's probably a felony to trespass on a crime scene."

"Do you see any caution tape?"

"Well, no-"

"You can stay in the car if you want." She offered.

"Yeah, _right_. You don't even know how to pick a lock." He smirked at her and passed her a pair of gloves. "Come on, Nancy Drew. Before they come back."

She took the gloves and climbed out of the car, taking in her surroundings for the first time. The street was lined with old buildings and tall, narrow houses. None of them looked to be in good shape; some windows were boarded up and garbage littered most of the front yards. A few trees spurted up from the broken asphalt and cast an eerie shadow against the apartment building in question.

"He sure picked a trashy part of Port Angeles." Jacob observed as he stretched, then reached into the Rabbit and pulled out his jacket.

They quickly jogged across the road and into the front lobby. While Jacob looked behind them to make sure they weren't noticed, Bella looked at the list of names on the electronic buzzer. When she saw _J. Witherdale - 306_ , she swallowed bile; feeling suddenly sick.

"Found him. So, how are we going to get in?"

Jacob narrowed his eyes as he read down the list and finally held in the button for _L. Carter_ , earning him a slightly confused look from Bella. They waited for a few minutes until the raspy voice of an old woman came through the intercom.

"I already told you once today, I don't want no damn bibles!"

Jacob cleared his throat, clearly amused and spoke into the little speaker on the wall. "Hey there. Uh, I just moved in on the third floor and lost my key. Can you let me in?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure. Hold on."

It was silent for a moment and then the thick door next to them made a loud, buzzing sound. Jacob reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open for Bella, who nodded her approval and stepped inside. The yellow paint on the walls were chipped and dull, and the carpet was suspiciously stained by something crimson colored. Jacob and Bella exchanged disgusted faces as they climbed the rickety staircase to the third floor. Turning the corner, they quietly walked down the grotesque hallway until they found the door with the cracked _306_ painted in the middle.

Bella took a deep breath and put her ear to the door. A few seconds later she backed up. "I don't hear anything inside."

Jacob nodded to her and knelt down, pulling out a paperclip and a pocket knife and twisting it around until he was satisfied with the shape. He worked slowly and quietly; his face concentrated and stoic, the same expression he had when he worked on a car. Bella admired him as he turned the tools around in his hand, silently appreciating that how no matter what happened between them, and how much time passed, he was still always willing to help her.

Finally a click, and Jacob turned the doorknob and pushed. The door opened with a creak. The two tiptoed inside and quietly shut the door behind them, looking around the small apartment.

In front of them was a leather sofa and a sleek wooden coffee table sectioned off in what was the living room, complete with a large flat screen mounted on the wall and a modern shaded lamp in the corner. Dark curtains covered the windows, giving it a shaded illumination.

The kitchen to the right had a toaster, a coffee maker, and a sink full of dirty dishes. A kitchen table was littered with opened bills and empty envelopes, magazines and empty coffee mugs.

Bella looked at Jacob and furrowed her brow. "It's... nice in here."

"Yeah, it definitely looks lived in." Jacob ducked into the kitchen and opened the cupboards. "There's food in here. Think he'd mind if I snagged a bag of Mr. Noodles?" He smirked, winking at Bella.

She frowned. "No! The police would have listed everything inside. If something goes missing they'll know somebody was in here."

"Sure, sure." He said and closed the cupboard door.

Bella circled around the living room, taking every detail in.

A stylish afghan blanket lay crumbled on the sofa, the remote on top. A DVD box set of pornography lay open and on display, splayed across the coffee table. An empty bottle of Jim Bean sat on the floor next to a fallen pillow. James had _definitely_ been here.

As she studied the living room, Bella noticed something the police hadn't: the corner of a piece of paper had been sticking out from underneath the sofa cushion. She knelt down and lifted up the cushion, revealing two folders labeled _Confidential: Property of Forks Police Department._

"What're those?" Jacob asked, suddenly next to her. He reached down and picked one up, flipping it open without ceremony. Bella looked up at him as his eyebrows shot up. He then reached down and grabbed the other one.

"What's in there?"

"Our records." He growled.

"What?" She stood up and peered into the pages he was staring at. "What's it say?"

"The first pages are just regular stuff, Our addresses, date of birth, if we're related of anybody important-"

"Important?"

"Yeah. Yours says daughter of Charlie Swan, Chief of Police. Mine says son of William Black, Quileute Council member."

"What else?"

Jacob couldn't help but smirk. "Well, there's an incident report from when we we're sixteen and somebody called the cops on us for underage drinking at First Beach."

Bella smiled. "Charlie was the responding officer. He was so mad."

"And an accident report from when you rear ended Mike's Punch buggy at Homecoming."

"You mean when _you_ rear ended Mike's Punch buggy at Homecoming. I just took the fall so you wouldn't get charged."

Jacob smiled down at her. "That was an _accident_ , Bells. And besides, he was drunk and forced himself on you. He was hardly the victim."

"Mhmm." Bella's smile disappeared when she came back to reality. "Jake, why does James have our files?"

"I don't know. Studying us I guess."

As he kept reading, Bella moved on to the next room. The bathroom was simple; a large tub combined with a shower head, a single sink, and a large cabinet with a mirror bolted on. She opened the shower curtain and looked into the tub at the skinny bottles lined up on the ledge. There was James's usual body wash and shampoo, which Bella instantly recognized. But when her eyes caught the strawberry scented body scrub she paused.

"Aha..." She breathed out loud as she picked it up and examined it. That was definitely _not_ James's.

Backing up, she then turned around and slid open the cabinet. Inside was both men and women's deodorant, floss, toothpaste, and two toothbrushes. Bella took a deep breath in, steadying herself. She slammed the cabinet shut, everything inside clattered.

"Bella?" Jacob called from the living room.

"Yeah. I'm alright." She called back.

She looked into the mirror at her reflection, the anger that started in the pit of her stomach started to bubble even though she had already knew the truth. Finally she turned and strode into the last room they hadn't checked: the bedroom.

Inside there was a queen sized bed, decorated with black and grey sheets and blankets that had been wrinkled up at the foot of the bed. Two nightstands on either side, each with a lamp. A dresser was on the far wall with a gigantic mirror on the other. The closet was still open, and Bella could see the clothes hanging from the hangers. Her stomach lurched, but what brought her into the room and over to the laundry basket was not her fear, but her female intuition. She looked down, her face a mask of uncertainty until she pinched two fingers together and pulled up a pair of black laced underwear.

Edward's voice rang through her head. _"Aside from everyday furniture and belongings, we found men and women's clothing."_

"Jacob!" She yelled.

He was in the room in seconds, standing behind her. His eyes widened when he noticed what she was holding. "So Cullen wasn't lying."

Bella nodded slowly. "That explains why he was always working late."

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I thi-"

She was cut off by the loud, shrill ring of a telephone. They both looked over to see a white phone on one of the nightstands, its cradle rocking slightly from the vibration.

Jacob stiffened, his brows pulled together. "A phone?" He was whispering.

"Do we answer it?" Bella asked, her eyes wide.

" _Hell_ no!"

"What if its her?"

"What if it's the police?"

Jacob and Bella remained still as the phone carried on. By the twelfth ring Bella walked over and grabbed the phone.

"Bella, don't!" Jacob yelled but she had already picked it up.

She hit a button, activating the speaker mode. It was quiet on the other end. "Hello?" She asked.

Silence.

"Hello?" She asked again.

The line disconnected and the dial tone started.

"We need to leave, now." Jacob said, taking the phone from her and setting it back into the cradle.

She dropped the panties back into the laundry basket and hurried out behind him. As they opened the door to leave, Jacob turned around abruptly.

"Jake?"

"Just a sec." He ran over to the coffee table and grabbed the folders. "We're taking these with us before the police come back and find them."

As the dirty glass doors to the apartment building were thrown open and Jacob and Bella hurried across the street - both looking over their shoulder and back at the building - they both jumped into the Rabbit, slamming the doors shut. The engine roared to life instantly and Jacob sped off down the street, the tires squealing. Had the two both been paying attention, they would have noticed that the large blue van parked behind them was not actually empty.


	7. Precautions

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **6\. Precautions**

"I still say we throw his ashes into the landfill." Leah said casually, as she flipped through a rack of discounted shirts. "It would be _way_ cheaper."

Bella snorted. "Yeah, and the town would never shut up about it."

"That wouldn't matter if you lived in La Push." Leah said quietly, quirking her eyebrow at her sister. When Bella gave her a look, Leah threw her arms up. "What? Your entire family lives on the rez."

"I'm not selling Charlie's house."

"You could rent it."

" _Leah!_ "

"Alright, alright. I'll stop."

The two women were at the thrift store in Forks, pretending they didn't notice the questioning stares Bella was getting from the local townsfolk. She had become something of a celebrity in the last year and the town couldn't stop gossiping about Chief Swan's long lost daughter who had finally come back home after he died. Followed by her husband getting gunned down and buried in the woods.

Bella held up a black off the shoulder pull-over sweater. "How's Sam doing?"

Leah didn't meet her eyes. "Oh, we've been fighting."

"How come?"

"He's wants another baby." She said flatly.

"Wow. Well now's a good time, I guess?"

"I already pushed out one spawn of Satan. Do you really think I want to do it again?"

Bella smiled. "Harriet's not so bad."

"Yeah, when she's not getting sent home from school for punching boys in her class."

"And _who_ does that remind you of?"

Leah was quiet for a moment. "Sam." She declared finally, but the lie in her voice was even obvious to her.

* * *

When Leah dropped Bella off an hour later, she carried her bags into the house and dropped them on the floor of the entry way with a dull thud. She looked at the staircase in front of her for a moment, then quickly turned her head away. The image of James lying against the stairs, the gash in his head oozing blood, with the broken lamp laying next to him was an image that Bella could not forget, no matter how many times she tried.

Sighing, she went into the kitchen - adverting her eyes from the floor - and sat down at the table, putting her head in her hands.

The flashbacks had been constant at first; she'd see James everywhere she turned. He was either sitting on her father's recliner while he polished off a bottle of whiskey, standing in her bedroom with his back to her while he held up a package of birth control, or laying on her kitchen floor with holes in his chest, while blood seeped out underneath him and covered the white tiles. The contrast had haunted her.

Eventually though, it got better and she only had the flashbacks when she was least expecting it.

She had never told Jacob; afraid if he knew just how bad of a state she was in after she murdered her husband to save her true love and herself, he would have given up the apprenticeship and come home right away. She could not be selfish with him, not after everything.

Bella stood up and shook her head, shaking the bad thoughts away and retrieved the bags from the entry way. She had just put the cream cheese in the refrigerator and closed the door when something on the old white plastic caught her attention.

A letter, addressed to Jacob in familiar cursive writing.

Bella backed up, bumping into the chair and reaching behind to grab it for support. She looked around the kitchen nervously and bolted to the counter where the knife block was. Pulling out the longest steak knife she had she braced herself against the cupboards and waited.

Several minutes went by, or hours, until she was convinced she was alone. Reaching over to the door of the refrigerator and snatching the envelope off, she jumped when the magnet fell off and clattered against the tile. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter, her knees buckling as she read the one word over and over again. _"Thief."_ Just then, the phone started to ring.

Bella dropped the note and bolted out of the door at lightning speed. She jumped off the second last step and ripped the door to the truck open, diving inside and locking the door. Her fingers shook uncontrollably as she tried to insert the key into the ignition. Finally, it went in and she turned.

Nothing happened.

"What the _fuck_?" Bella moaned, her eyes filling with tears and she repeatedly turned the key.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, shakily dialing the number she had long since memorized. When he answered she was screaming his name, her sanity long gone.

"Bella? Bella! What's wrong?"

"Somebody was in the house!"

" _What_?"

"They were in the house, Jake! They left a note on the fridge for you."

"Bella. Get out of the house."

She racked back and forth. "I'm in the truck. It won't start."

"Stay there." He said, his voice dark. "I'm on my way."

* * *

When the Rabbit ripped into the parking lot - sending gravel flying as the tires spun - Bella was still hyperventilating. Jacob dashed over to the drivers side of the truck, waited for her to unlock it, and climbed inside. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked the back of her head.

"It's okay, Bella. It's okay."

"Jacob," She sobbed. "They know. They know!"

"They know what? What did the note say?"

She looked up at him and wiped her nose. "It said thief."

He froze. "The files..."

"Yes." She nodded. "Somebody saw us. They knew we took the police records."

Jacob looked down at her and kept his expression steeled. The all too familiar mask coming back. "You're coming home with me. And you're staying for good this time."

"But-" She tried to protest but he cut her off.

" _No_. You're not safe here anymore. Let's go pack your things and get the hell out of here."

Defeated, Bella nodded in agreement, and followed Jacob into the house. While Bella was upstairs packing her two suitcases full of clothes and necessities, Jacob stayed downstairs surveying the rest of the house. He checked the front door a few times and then stalked into the kitchen, checking the back door. He read the note and crumpled it up, stuffing it into his grease stained jeans pocket. He went over all the windows, noticing how each one was locked. When Bella emerged from the bedroom he had been coming up the stairs to meet her.

"Were both doors locked when you got home?"

Bella nodded.

He blew out a breath. "Then whoever it was had a key. You can't pick the locks on your doors, Charlie had made sure of that."

She shuddered. "Can we go?"

"Yeah, come on. I'll take a look at the truck."

Jacob led Bella outside, wordlessly putting her suitcases in the backseat of the Rabbit and slamming the door with a little too much force. She waited inside the passenger seat - her knees brought up to her chin - watching him as he popped the hood of the truck up and peeked around inside. Suddenly he slammed it shut and stormed back to his car, climbing inside and slamming the door.

She watched a muscle in his jaw twitch. "Jake?"

He turned the ignition.

"Jacob, what is it?"

He turned his head, placed his hand on the back of the passenger headrest, and backed into the street.

"Jacob, tell me. Please."

Finally he turned to look at her, his teeth clenched. "The starter's been taken out."

* * *

Once Bella had finished unpacking all of her clothes and toiletries - followed by a panic attack - she padded down the long and steep staircase that led to the garage. She paused when she heard familiar voices and laughter, then came around the corner to the large opening of where the bodywork happened. The double doors had been lifted and she found Jacob sitting on an overturned milk crate watching with mild enthusiasm as Quil and Embry argued next to a lit barbecue.

"Oh, hey, Bells. You finished up there?" Jacob asked when she came into view.

Bella nodded. "What are you guys doing?"

" _We_ ," Quil declared, pointing a metal spatula at Embry. "Are having a competition."

"Of course you are. What for this time?"

"Steak." Embry stated as if it were the obvious answer. "And you're the judge."

Bella smiled and took a seat on an old metal stool with a giant rip in the cushion. "Alright, go ahead. Amaze me."

"Oh, we will." Quil winked as he lifted a drippy marinated steak out of a dish and slapped it on the grill.

Bella looked down at where Jacob was sitting. "Did you orchestrate this?"

Jacob smirked. "I thought you could use some cheering up and the guys were working late."

"Well, thanks, Jake."

"Sure, sure. So that means you're not still mad at me?"

"Mad at you for forcing me out of my own home?" She raised her eyebrows dramatically.

Jacob frowned. "These are just precautions, Bells."

"I know." She sighed as he reached up and stroked her knee. "I'm not mad at you for wanting to protect me."

"Hey!" Embry called, interrupting them. "No flirting! We're trying to be master chefs here."

"Oh, sorry." Bella played along, rolling her eyes. "I'm just so hungry I can't contain myself."

"I have that effect on people." Jacob said simply, shooting a wink at Bella.

Quil took his medium rare steak off the grill with focused effort, and dropped it onto a paper plate. He dashed some salt and pepper on top and set it on the top rack to keep warm, then moved out of the way for Embry. Then he took a bow towards Jacob and Bella.

"Yeah, yeah." Embry said as he spiced his steak with a colorful rub and tossed it onto the grill, the flames licking the edges. "Just you wait, Quil.

"You guys better hurry up." Jacob said, noticing the time. "Aren't you supposed to be towing the truck over here?"

"Yes, boss." Embry noted, flipping his steak over. "Just as soon as Bella sinks her fangs into this baby."

"You flipped it too soon." Quil said, peering over the barbecue.

"Piss off, I know what I'm doing."

After Embry finished, Bella waited patiently as both men argued over who's would go first. Finally Jacob intercepted and decided that Quil would go first. He then passed Bella a plate covered with a large hunk of meat. They stood in front of Bella and watched with excitement as she carefully cut a piece of Quil's steak first, popping it into her mouth and chewing slowly.

Embry came back over from the mini fridge with a beer in his hand. "Well?"

Bella nodded, savoring the flavor. "It's really good."

Quil beamed. "Knew it."

"Okay, okay. My turn." Embry said impatiently as he offered Bella's his plate.

She passed Quil's steak to Jacob - who immediately dove in - and then tried Embry's. Moaning in delight, she smiled. "Wow."

Embry grinned in satisfaction. "Mine's better, right?"

Bella was quiet for a moment. She looked back and forth between both men and both steaks. Finally she took a deep breath; Embry and Quil both leaning in closer. "It's a... tie."

"A _tie_?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Come on, Bella. That's not even fair."

"Are you sure you tried enough of mine?"

"No, try more of mine."

"Yours is almost gone, thanks to Jake."

"Dude, stop eating my steak!"

"Bella, is it _really_ a tie?"

As Bella nodded her head - keeping her face too serious - Jacob chewed on the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

* * *

 _A/N:_ Wow. For once I didn't end with a cliffhanger. Even _I'm_ impressed.


	8. Facade

_**The First Spring**_

* * *

 **7\. Facade**

It was a brisk spring morning when Bella was finally allowed to return to work. She took a deep breath at the bottom of the concrete steps before walking up and through the double doors; her shoulders squared while she silently chanted to herself over and over again to keep her composure. Every officer would have their eyes on her.

Chief Forge had originally wanted to wait until the funeral was over before giving her permission to return to her duties, but Bella had convinced Edward to pull some strings in her favor, claiming that her boredom was causing her too much grief and she needed to keep her mind busy. The _real_ reason she wanted to come back though, was to get inside the evidence room and figure out just how much the detective knew.

"Welcome back. Officially." Edward said as he stood at the front of Bella's desk, watching her type furiously on the keyboard. "How do you feel today, Bella?"

"A lot better, actually. Thanks for helping me out, Edward." She said leaning back in her chair and stretching. "I really needed to come back."

He smiled at her, his eyes lingering a little too long before he looked away. "Of course. I take it you're all settled in?"

She nodded and she straightened up, purposely pretending to look distracted at the monitor.

"Then I'll leave you to it. Most of us will be gone for the day, but have my phone calls put through to Emmett if need be. He's staying behind with the Chief."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?" When she realized how bold she sounded she blushed. "I'm sorry, that was inna-"

Edward put a reassuring hand up to cut her off. "No need to apologize, Bella. I won't be too far, don't worry."

As she watched him go, chewing the inside of her cheek, she wondered if he was going back to James's apartment in Port Angeles.

It had been three days since the last note was left on her refrigerator and Bella was getting antsy. She needed answers before she drove herself and Jacob completely crazy.

Once the lobby cleared out and Bella was left alone, she quietly fished in the desk drawer for the master key ring. Pulling it out slowly and tucking it into the sleeve of her sweater, she stood up and padded down the hallway towards the small office that was currently being used as the evidence room for James's murder investigation.

After three tries the door clicked and she pushed it open and stepped inside, closing it behind her. The shutters had already been drawn across the glass window and she kept the light off as she took in her surroundings.

The long table was littered with files and sheets of paper. Empty coffee cups were overflowing from a small garbage can, while the back wall was set up with photographs and notes stuck all over the whiteboard, connected by a series of red string. Bella walked over and looked up at the photographs until she caught her own eyes staring back at her.

Her picture was on the left side with three sticky-notes taped underneath.

 _Wife._

 _Separated?_

 _Motive: Abuse? Revenge?_

She inhaled slowly and followed the string to a photograph of Jacob and read the notes underneath the small picture.

 _Bella Swan's ex boyfriend/current boyfriend._

 _Motive: Jealousy? Revenge?_

She suddenly felt lightheaded, and reached her hand out to grab the back of a chair. If she and Jacob were suspects then that meant they were being watched.

Watched by Forks Police Department.

Watched by Edward Cullen.

Watched by somebody else too...

Bella turned and stumbled out of the room, swallowing bile as she juggled the keys in her hand and locked the door. She had just turned around when she caught Chief Forge coming down the hallway, giving her a suspicious look.

"Bella?"

She slid the keys into her back pocket and faked her best smile. "Hey, Chief. I was just looking for you. I thought you'd be in here."

"On my way in, actually." He rubbed his balding head. "What can I do for you, kid?"

Bella blinked. "I just wanted... to thank you personally for letting me come back to work. I know you were nervous but I-"

He squinted as he studied her. "I know you've had a hard year."

She was saved when the sound of the telephone ringing cut through the silence. Bella nodded towards Chief Forge and hurried past him, not daring to look back; for she knew all too well the suspicions of police officers were almost never wrong.

* * *

Bella stood stone-faced as her heels sunk into the soft, wet grass. She exhaled deeply as she watched the cemetery curators lower James's urn into the ground. Behind her was Jacob; who kept his eyes focused on her and his expression steely, even when Sue tucked her hand into his arm.

"Don't worry too much." She whispered.

"She's barely said a word since yesterday." He whispered back, keeping his eyes on Bella.

"She just has to get through the emotions on her own."

"That's what worries me."

Leah came up to stand next to Bella as the curators began to fill the small but deep hole; heaps of earth falling on top of the gray urn that contained whatever was left of James.

She nudged Bella's arm. "Did you want to say a few words?"

Bella turned and looked over her shoulder until she met Jacob's eyes. He knew by her expression she was remembering the first night they buried James. Keeping his face still and neutral he waited until she turned back around and took a step towards the burial plot.

"Rest in peace." She said quietly before turning around and walking away.

As Leah and Sue followed slowly, hushed whispers coming from the pair, Jacob jogged ahead and fell into step with Bella.

"Are you alright?" He asked, noticing how she held her arms tightly against her chest.

She didn't look at him as she kept walking. "Yes."

"Are we going to talk about what you found in the evidence room yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I already told you. I didn't find anything."

Jacob frowned. "You've always been a terrible liar, Bells."

Bella suddenly stopped walking and leaned down to rest her palms on her knees. "I don't feel so good." She said, closing her eyes.

He rested a soothing hand on her back and gently rubbed. "You'll be okay. Just breathe."

When Sue and Leah caught up they exchanged worried expressions. "Bella, did you eat yet today?" Sue asked.

"She had an egg salad sandwi-" Leah started to say before Bella ran three steps and heaved into the shrubs.

Jacob followed her wordlessly and held her hair back as she knelt into the grass while Leah looked ahead. "Hey, Jake-"

"Not now, Leah."

"Jake. Look."

He followed her gaze towards the parking lot ahead. A police SUV was idly running next to the Rabbit and Jacob's tow-truck. Standing outside at the hood was Edward and Emmett, watching them carefully. When they noticed what was going on they started up the small hill.

"Are you kidding me?" Jacob growled as they approached. "What do you want, Cullen? We're at a funeral."

"Looks to me like it's over." Emmett said, his eyes shifting between the two of them. "You okay, Bella?"

"She's fine." Sue said. We were just leaving." Jacob said. "Come on, Bella."

"Actually, that's not going to happen." Edward clipped, coming to stand between them. "Bella, I'm going to have to ask you to come with us to the station for questioning."

Bella stiffened, looking up at Edward. "Why?"

"I think you know why." He answered, his dark.

"Is she under arrest?" Leah snapped, her arms crossed.

"No." Edward replied, his voice steady.

"Not yet." Emmett muttered, rubbing his chin.

"Then you can't force her to go anywhere." Jacob narrowed his eyes.

"It's okay, Jake." Bella told him, her demeanor suddenly calm. She turned back towards the two brothers. "Can you follow me over?"

Edward nodded and motioned towards the Rabbit. "After you, Miss Swan."

"Bella-" Jacob started before she silenced him with her eyes.

"Go back to work, Jake." She said coldly, before climbing into the Rabbit and shutting the door.


End file.
